Drag Show Etiquette

For audience members, it is crucial to understand the bravery required to don a Drag look, particularly the bold and bombastic costumes that make for excellent entertainment. Besides raucous cheering, there is a certain level of respect and deference that should be observed towards Drag Artists and this goes for fellow artists attending shows in or out of Drag.

Reading a stranger is a common mistake made by less experienced audience members. If a Drag artist has prepared a show, arranged hair, makeup, costuming, and transport to entertain you, they are unlikely to be amused by any "read" about that which they have prepared. Constructive assistance - for example, "you might need to lint-roll your back, you leant against something," or "one of your buttons is undone," are appropriate when communicated kindly, but joking about someone's shortcomings is reserved for a special kind of relationship, one based on mutual trust and skill.

That said, many older Drag artists are not afraid to read the young and less experienced as a part of a tradition of "tough love". Biting back, in this case, is warranted though the editor would not advise entering a volley of insults with a very experienced and confident artist.

Consent, from the artist and the crowd, is a must during shows. Assume someone does not want to be touched unless asked, or unless they otherwise offer. Many artists have natural chests or a chestplate over a bound chest, so groping someone will not necessarily have a 20 cm buffer of silicone between your hand and their chest. Keep this in mind before reaching for any body part and remember that Drag artists are human beings under the makeup and costume, with the same interiority and preferences for interpersonal physical contact as anyone else. A bombastic outfit is not an invitation to violate someone's privacy.